Machine for applying decalcomanias



May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY 2,117,613

MACHINE FOR APPLYING DEGALCOMANIA'S Filed July 21, 1957 15 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR flan a5 1774106519)" n F. x. MALOCSAY 2,117,618

7 MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS 7 Filed July 21, 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 17, 1938.

May..l7, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 v c NEY May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21, 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet 4.

RNEY' May 17, 1938.. F. x. MALOCSAY j MACHINE FOR APPLYING DEQALCOMANIAS Filed July 21, 1937 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS l5 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 21, 1937 I 2 3 INVENTOR 6 -//'?,9/w'/s X M91049? as[BY TTORNEY May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet '7 TTORNEY May 17, 1938.. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANI AS l5 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed July 21, 1937 May 17, 1938. F. x. MALocsAY 2,117,618

MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR 6 v FFA/VC/S X fiezacsey TTORNEY May.17, 19.38. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21,1957

l5 Sheets-Sheet 10 INYENTOR fimxyc/sX/flqmcsar l lllllllk KQN- m May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY I MACHINE F'OR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21, 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet ll 1 v INVENTOR Haw/110s X /%940cs/) 1 NEY May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS l5 Sheets-Sheet l2 1 W 1 l 1 1 ll M W.\ H

Filed July 21, 1957 F. X. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS May 17, 1938.

Fiied July 21,' 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 May 17, 1938. F. x. MALOCSAY MACHINE FOR APPLYING DECALCOMANIAS Filed July 21, 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet l4 I N V E N TO R fiA/Va/JXMZacSay RNEY Patented May l, l$3

2,117,6l8 MACMNE FOR APPLYING DE@MEOMANIAS Francis X. Malocsay, Upper Saddle River, N. ll. Application July 21, 1937, SerialNo. 154M119 63 Ola This invention relates to a machine for applying decalcomanias and has for its object the provision of a'machine of this character which will speedily, accurately and effectively apply the decalcomanias to any articles intended for their reception.

A decalcomania of the character applied by the improved machine and as made at the present time usually consists of a film-like element composed of a gum or adhesive and including one or more layers of inks or paints constituting the printed matter, the film-like body of the decalcomania being adhesively attached to a paper or similar supporting sheet or backing by an adhesive that is solvent in water to separate the decalcomania from the paper backing. A decalcomania is applied to an article by first separating it from the paper backing, which is usually done by an application of water, and when the decalcomania becomes loosened from its backing, it is bodily removed therefrom and pressed against the article to which it is to be attached, and the gum or adhesive incorporated as a part of the decalcomania will cause it to permanently adhere to the article to which it is thus applied.

This type of decalcomania is widely used, and

up to the present time has been applied by hand operation only. Decalcomanias are used for many purposes, one of which is for the formation of tax stamps such as are applied to packages of cigarettes and possibly to many other articles of merchandise sold throughout the country. The application of these tax stamps is now performed by hand and imposes considerable hardship upon the tobacco dealer in the localities where it is required that these stamps be affixed to each pack age of cigarettes. As delivered by the manufacturer to the tobacco dealer, cigarettes are packed in sealed cartons, usually with ten packages contained in each carton. When the dealer in a particular locality where the law requires the application of tax stamps, receives his cigarettes from the manufacturer, he must open each carton, remove the packages of cigarettes therefrom, apply a decalcomania tax stamp to each package, re-

store the packages to the carton from which they were taken and then-re-seal the'carton. This requires handling of the cigarette packages more than was ever contemplated by the manufacturer; it requires opening of the cartons so that the ultimate purchaser of a carton of cigarettes does not receive it in the original sealed condition in which it left the factory, and the tobacco dealer is put to the expense of maintaining a staff of workers for the purpose of applying the stamps, thus greatly increasing his overhead cost and in many casesv preventing the making of a reasonable profit on his cigarette sales.

One of the primary objects of the invention therefore is to provide an automatic machine by which decalcomania tax stamps of the character described may be applied to cigarette packages or any other articles without requiring the removal of the cigarette packages or other articles from the cartons in which they are initially packed by the manufacturer. In cases where the cartons employed by a particular manufacturer aresuch as to prevent the application of the decalcomania stamps without removing the packages from the cartons, then the machine will, as efiectively, apply the stamps to the packages removed from the cartons and supported in a suitable tray or other receptacle intended for their reception. r

Throughout the following description, the decalcomanias are sometimes referred to, for simplicity of expression, as the "stamps and the articles to which" they are applied are sometimes referred to as the packages. This is done without in any manner intending to limit the-machine herein described to the specific application of decalcomania tax stamps to cigarette packages or other articles of the same nature, since the principles hereinafter set forth are such asmay be readily utilized by those skilled in the art, in almost any environment where the optimum sought is the speedy, accurate, automatic and effective application of a decalcomania to almost any article or surface intended for its reception or capable of receiving it. p

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a machine wherein successive decalcomania-carrying sheets are fed to moistened supports which carry said sheets to decalcomania-applying means and while carrying them to the applying means cause the decalcomanias to become loosened from the backing sheets by the application of moisture; wherein also the decalcomanias so loosened from their backing sheets are drawn away from the sheets by a picker mechanism and are bodily carried to, and successively brought down upon and caused to adhere to the surfaces of the packages moved into position to receive them. The improved machine also includes the provision of means for disposing of the waste backing sheets from which the decalcomanias are detached; it includes also means for preventing operation of the machine when no packages are in position to receive the application of the decalcomanias, and-it includes scription of which will hereinafter appear and be which shifts the weights for holding the decal-' set forth in the claims appended hereto. v v

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved machine; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Fig.3

is a side elevation of the machine as viewed from the left end of Fig. 2, and with certain portions of the upper part of the machine omitted for clearness in illustration; Fig. 4 is a side view of the machine as viewed from the right end of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a rear view of the machine with cer tain parts shown fragmentarily to better disclose construction; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lower portion of the machine, with the top portion removed or broken away and with parts in section; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through the machine, the view being taken substantially on the line '|'l. of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are views showing portions of the clutch mechanism controlling the starting and stopping of the machine; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the picker mechanism, showing the same engaging two decalcomanias preparatory to removing the same from their backing sheet; Fig. 13 is a view of the two picker heads, showing the action of the same in sliding two decalcomanias toward the edge of the backing sheet to then lift the decalcomanias from the sheet; Fig. 14 is a view of the pickermechanism similar to Fig. 12, showing the pickers in the act of applying the two decalcomanias carried by them to two cigarette packages; Fig. 15 is a view of the picker mechanism shown in Figs. 12 and 14 with said mechanism arranged to apply the two decalcomanias on two cigarette packages' in the same spaced relationship as the decalcomanias bear to one another while located on their backing sheet; Fig. 16 is a front view of the picker heads with one of the heads shown in section; Fig. 17 is a view of the underside of one of the picker heads; Fig. 18 is a front view, with parts in section, of a shaft provided with stops to properly position the carton so that the packages therein will receive the proper afllxment of the decalcomanias from the pickers; Fig. 19 is an end view of said shaft removed from its supporting bearings; Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a tray for holding ten cigarette packages, the tray being used for holding and registering the packages while the decalcomanias are being applied when the cigarette cartons are not apertured as heretofore explained to enable the packages to be stamped while the packages remain in the manufacturers carton; Fig. 21 is a vertical sectional view through the channel in which the moistening blocks are guided'while the decalcomanias are being loosened from their backing sheets, showing the weights employed for holding the sheets and decalcomania stamps thereon down on the moistening blocks and also showing the mechanism for shifting the weights; Fig. 22 is a sectional view on the line 22-22 ofjFig, 21, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 23 is a sectional view through a part of the mechanism comania sheets on the moistening blocks, h wing the lifting jaws engaging and carrying one of the weights; Fig. 24 is a similarview, showing the jaws-just engaging one of the weights to pick up the same; Figs. 25, 26 and 2'7 are plan views of the mechanism for the delivery of the decalcomania sheets to the moistening blocks; Fig. 25 showing the sliding sheet feed-plate in position to receive a sheet manually fed to it, Fig. 26 show-' ing a sheet in position with relation to the feedplate in readiness to be moved thereby to reach a position of rest upon a moistening block; Fig;

2'7 shows the mechanism in position with the sheet located on the moistening block and a weight deposited on top of the sheet; Fig. 28*is a sectional view on the line 28 --28 of Fig. 25, looking in the direction of the arrows, the blocks and weights beingshown diagrammatically; Fig. 29 is a view similar to Fig. 28, showing the sheet feed-plate causing a sheet to be deposited on top of one of the moistening blocks; Fig. '30is a sec-,

tional view on the line 30-30 of Fig. 28, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 31 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of the mechanism for picking up the backing sheets after the decalcomanias have been removed therefrom and delivering said sheets to a waste-sheet-receptacle;

Fig. 32 is a sectional view on the line 32-'-32 of Fig. 31, looking in the direction of 'the arrows; Fig. 33 is a side elevation of the backing sheet lifter and carrier, showing the same in the raised or inoperative position in which it may be manually placed while the waste sheet receptacle is being emptied of its accumulated contents; Fig. 34 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the machine-may be employed to apply decalcomania stamps directly to cigarwrappers; Fig. 35 is a view of the clutch mechanism, other adjacent portions of the machine being omitted to enable the clutch mechanism to be clearly shown; Fig. 36 is a sectional view on the line 3636 of Fig. 35,1ooking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3'! is a sectional view on the line 3|--3'I of Fig. 35, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 381s a sectional view on the line 38 -38 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 39 is a sectional view on the line 39-39 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction 'ofthe arrows.

At the present time, it is the more or less uniform practice in the cigarette manufacturing industry to pack ten packages of cigarettes in a sealed carton. The cartons are so shaped as to hold the cigarette packages in two layers of five packages to a layer and each package is wrapped in a covering .of transparent material, one example of which is known der the trade name of Ceilophane". In a number of States throughout' the country, the laws require the aflixment of a tax stamp to each package of cigarettes. Dealers and others have found it most convenient to apply these stamps to the ends of the packages, particularly since the stamps may be so applied on the package end so that the tearing oil of the Cellophane" wrapper will destroy the stamp. Since the application of the stamp to the end of the package is more or less uniform practice, the present machine shows the stamps applied to cigarette packages at that accepted position. The stamps sold for the purpose are decalcomanias, that is, thesame consist of a layer of adhesive and several layers of ink, the adhesive and inks co-operating to form a very thin, filmlike stamp which when once applied to a transparent coating of Cellophane" attaches itself tenaciously and cannot be removed without rearrears sulting in the destruction of the stamp. These decalcomanias are adhesively attached to a paper backing sheet from which they may be loosened by the application of water to the sheet and when detached from the backing sheet they carry sumcient gum to cause them to adhere to the packages or other articles to which they are applied. At the present time, the stamps are supplied for hand application in large sheets of twenty rows of five stamps to a row, the sheets being divided into groups of ten stamps, each group being separated from the next by weakened lines,

whereby the large sheet may be divided into small sheets each of which bears ten stamps to correspond to the ten packages of cigarettes in each carton. The present machine is accordingly designed to make use of-stamps in these small sheets, each of said sheets bearing ten stamps to accord with the present practice of supplying the stamps to the trade and to the practice of packing ten packages of cigarettes in a carton.

By the employment of a novel type of carton, such as shown in my co-pending application for patent, Ser. No. 105,853, flied October 16th, 1936, it is possible to apply a decalcomania tax stamp to the end of each cigarette package in the carton without requiring the removal ofthe packages from the carton. Such a carton is shown at I0 in Fig. l and it has its rear wall provided with a plurality of spaced window openings ll through each of which a part of the ends of two cigarette packages I? areexposed to enable a stamp to be afiixed to said exposed portion of each package while the packages remain in the sealed carton. Manufacturers not using such an apertured carton may remove the packages from their carton and place them in a shallow tray it in the positions which they occupy in the carton. The tray containing the cigarette packages may be then fed to the stamp-applying mechanism in the same manner as the apertured carton iii.

The decalcomania sheets, each bearing ten decalcomania stamps are indicated at H in the drawings, the stamps thereon being each indicated at l5. Each sheet is manually fed in position in the machine'and mechanically brought to register with an absorbent moistening block I6, each of said blocks travelling in a continuous water-holding channel, the water therein supplying the required moisture to the blocks to cause the sheets resting on the blocks to become saturated and the stamps to become loosened from the backing sheets. For a portion of the period of travel of the blocks in the channel, weights shown.

at H rest upon the sheets, holding the same down on the moistening blocks and preventing the sheet and the stamps thereon from rising or curling, until the sheet and stamps are thoroughly saturated 'with the water, when they will remain without assistance flat upon the upper faces of the blocks and without requiring the use of the weights. Then the blocks carrying the sheets with the loosened stamps on their upper faces are moved to a picker mechanismdncluding suction heads i8 and H, which remove the stamps, two at a time, by sliding them to the edge of their backing sheet and then lifting them and then affixing them to the ends of two of the cigarette packages l2 in the carton l0 or in the tray 13 shown in Fig. 20. Carrier bars20 and 20a moved with an upward and forward; then downward and backward movement, shift the carton l0 or tray l3 intermittently to align two packages at a time with the pickers. Whenall of the stamps l5 have been removed from a backing sheet, the

Driving mechanism The driving mechanism for the machine is mounted in and on a frame housing 00 formed with a base ll on which the machine rests. The frame in carries a clutch shaft 32 (see Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 11). Said clutch shaft 32 rotates in suitable bearings 460 and Mi (Fig. 5). Secured on the free end of said clutch shaft 32 is the clutch drum $02. The bearings e00 and 40l are provided with bushings and the bushing in bearing 505 extends outward from the frame 40, as shown in Fig. 37. Loosely mounted on said extending bushing is the pulley 33. Secured by screws 4103 to the pulley 33 is a clutch plate 404i (see Fig. 37) having a notch 408 for the purpose of engaging clutch dog 405., When the dogstripping arm $06 is raised, in a manner to be later described in connection with the clutch mechanism, and as shown in Fig. 11, this action couples pulley 33 with shaft 32 and sets the machine in motion. Pulley 33 is driven from an electric motor or other source of power by means of a V-belt, not shown. Within the frame housing M, between the clutch shaft bearings 40! and M2 is a spur pinion 34 (Fig. 9) secured on shaft 32, said pinion meshing with a spur gear 35, secured on shaft 36, mounted in suitable bearings Ml (Fig. 6). The ratio of the pinion 34 to gear 35 is six to one. Secured on shaft 36 is a spur pinion gear 37, meshing with a spur gear 30, secured to the main cam shaft 39 and carried in suitable bearings in the frame t0. The ratio of spur gear 31 to gear 30 is six to one, shaft 30 rotating once to each carton or tray of cigarette packages, while the shaft 36 makes six revolutions, the purpose of'whichwill be hereinafter set forth.

As will be explained hereinafter in detail, the tripping of the clutch permits the cam shaft 39 to make only one revolution, but the continuous Clutch mechanism The dog 4.05 of the clutcrPis held out of engagement with the clutch plate 404 (Fig. 37) by the stripping member 406. A spring 460 (see Fig. 37) in the end of clutch dog 405, the outer end pressing against the member 46!, forces the inner end of dog 405 to engage the notch 408 in clutch plate 404, while the pulley 33 is rotating in a clockwise direction when the stripping member 406 is released to permit it to rise slightly.

, The stripping member 406 is secured in the recessed portion of the hub 462 of arm 463 carried on frame stud 464 (see Figs. 11, 35 and 36). In-

serted in the free end of arm 463 is the stud 465 partly in the path of a pin 469 carried by the spur gear 38 secured in main cam shaft 39. As the gear 30 nears the completion of its revolution-in the direction of the arrow, pin 469 will engage pin 465 and move the stripping member 406 down to dog-stripping I position (see Figs. and 36) where it is held in this position by latch 410.

The latch 410 is pivotally carried on frame stud 41l and has an upwardly extending spring ear 412 for the reception of one end of a spring 413, the other end of which is attached to spring post 414. The latch 410 has a second downwardly extending arm 415 which is located between the pulley 33 and the frame (see Fig. 36) and has at its lower end an ear 416 having a partly tapered hole 411 therein acting as a guide for the lower free end of a rod 418 carried on the free end of a rocking arm 419 by stud 480 located in the slotted upper end 48I of the rod. The pulley 33 carries av cam 482 having its'face engaging the cam roller 483 on stud 484 secured in a' tripper arm 485 carried on frame stud 486. A spring 481 keeps the roller 483 against the cam 482 which moves the arm back and forth during each revolution of the pulley 33. The upper end of arm 485 is so shaped as to'engage the lower end of rod 418 when said rod is lowered by the downward movement of the rocking arm 419 thus moving rod-418 and latch 410 to the right, thereby releasing the dog-stripping member 406 of arm 463. The upward movement of the dogstripping member 406 is limited by coming in contact with the surface'488 of latch 410, as shown in Figs. 3, 11 and 35. The upward movement of dog-stripping member 406 allows the clutch dog 405 toengage the notch 408 of the clutch plate 404 carried by the rotating pulley 33, thus coupling the pulley with shaft 32 and setting the machine in motion. As the spur gear 38 secured on main cam shaft 39 nears the completion of its revolution the pin 469 engages the pin 465 of arm 463, thus lifting arm 463 and returning the dog-stripping member 406 to its lowered position, the latch 410 holding it in this position, as previously explained. The lowering of the dog-stripping member 406 causes the clutch dog 405 to be withdrawn, stopping any further movement of the machine (see Fig. 35).

If the upper end of the tripper arm 485 happens to interfere with the downward movement of the rod 418, the stud 480 moves down in the slot 48L. When the tripper arm 485 moves to its extreme left hand position the rod 418 will then drop into place. With this arrangement of partsthe rock arm 419 may be rocked at any time regardless of the position of. the tripper arm 485.

Sheet feeding and transporting mechanism Supported on top of the housing or frame 40 is a water-receptacle 42 having side walls 42a and 42b, a front wall 420 and a rear wall 42d, and provided with a central water supply chamber or reservoir 43 containing a supply of water (Figs. 8 and 31) maintained at a constant level by a water supply received from the feed pipe 44 municates by several ducts 41 through which water from chamber 43 may flow to keep channel 45 supplied with water at the same height'as that in chamber 43 to moisten or saturate the moistening blocks l6 which are moved along in-said channel, carrying the decalcomania sheets on their upper faces. The channel 45 is provided with a wider upper portion 40 in which the blocks are movable, said wider upper portion of the channel avoiding raising of the water when the blocks are moved as hereinafter explained, the blocks being supported and moved along on the ledges 49 in the channel. These blocks, shown in detail in Figs. 21 and 22, are hollow and "con-'- tain an absorbent filling 50, such as felt or any other suitable material capable of taking up and holding moisture sumciently to thoroughly moistenor saturate the decalcomania sheets while said sheets are being carried on the upper faces of the blocks Hi. The bottoms of the blocksare formed with apertures 5| to enable the water in the'channel 45. to reach the absorbent material 50 to saturate the-same, and the top of each block consists of a foraminous sheet 53 through which moisture from the absorbent material 50 can reach and saturate the decalcomania sheet. The upper edges of each block are beveled as at 52 to facilitate the placement and removal of sheets on the blocks as well as the removal of the stamps from their backing sheet while the sheet is resting on the block. The interior of each block, may be also provided with a partition 54 to aid in supporting the foraminous sheet 53 in a perfectly fiat position.

The channel 45 in which the blocks. are moved is relatively rectangular and is thus composed of the four communicating passages indicated at .A, B, C and D. The cycle of movement of each block through the four passages of the channel begins at a point below thefeed-plate at the front, right-hand end. of-= the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1. Here a block [6 receives one of the decalcomania sheets by means to be presently described, and said block, carrying the sheet on its upper face, is moved with an intermittent movement toward the opposite end of the passage A. orwhen viewed as in Fig. 1, toward the top of the figure. As the block is moved along in said passage, it forces the blocks already located in said passage, ahead of it. While the block bearing the decalcomania sheet is being moved along in passage A toward the rear end of the.

machine, it carries a weight 11 on top. of the decalcomania and when the end of passage-A is reached, the weight is removed and then the block bearing the moistened sheet is shifted transversely of the machine in passage B or toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. When the left end of passage 13 is reached by the, block, it

then begins its travel in passage C back toward the front of the mwhine or toward the lower part of Fig. 1. Upon reaching the forward end of passage C, the pickers l8 and I9 remove the decalcomania stamps l5 two at a time from the sheet l4 and apply said stamps to the cigarette packages l2. When all of the stamps have been removed from the sheet, the block, then bearing the vacant or wastesheet Mn is moved in passage D toward the right. At an intermediate point in passage D the vacant or waste sheet, shown-at 14a in Fig. 1, is lifted from the block by suction cup 2| and the then empty'block on its next movement, is moved beneath the feedplate 60 to next receive another decalcomania,

angers sheet and proceed through the cycle of operations just described.

Feed-plate ti is fixedly secured on the upper edge of the water receptacle or tank 62 and overlies the right hand end of passage D of the channel d5. Said plate is formed with three spaced slots at in which three dependent legs as on a sliding sheet feed member 63 move, said legs in their inoperative position being located in the recess it (Figs. 28 and 2Q) of wall die and on their movement in a direction toward the rear of passage A, they engage against the side of one of the blocks it, then located below plate it, and move said block before them. At the same time, the sheet feed-member, engaging a sheet then located on the plate fit, moves said sheet along with the block. to a point beyond the end of plate fill, where said sheet, no longer having the support of plate as, will come to rest on top of the bloclr it located below it. The sheet feed member lit (shown in detail in Figs. 25 to 30) consists of a plate provided with a pair of spaced sideguides lid formed with upturned ends iii to facilitate the insertion of the sheet between said guides and also provided with outwardly turned guide members lit to further assist in the proper placement of the sheet on plate tit and in proper position in respect to the feed member. The feed member its is also depressed as at N to further facilitate the entry of the sheet, and the forward edge of the member lid is formed with a lip till which overlies the adjacent edge oi. the sheet when the sheet is in place between guides dd, thus holding the sheet aligned in the guides and preventing rising up of the sheet when it is moved along on plate til by sheet feed member or. in inserting the sheet it is moved in a clirection to the rear of the machine, then drawn slightly forward to hiring its edge under the lip (it, then moved to the right to bring one of: its

ends against the right guide This gauges the sheet as the Inernhers are spaced to allow for i variation in the widths of the sheets.

The sheet reed rnernher is secured by arm to slide (Fig. 4.), said slide being reciprocated in a guide groove in the side wall ith of the water receptacle and being pivctally connected to one end of connecting rod which has its opposite end pivotally connected at lit to a cranlr. arm secured on shaft shaft til being journalled in hraclrets t ts and a sproclret secured to shalt. lid is connected to drive sprocket secured on the end oi a shaft til. (See Figs. 4i and ii.) [in idler sproclret d'i carried on stud lilo secured in bracket lids acts as a guide for the chain while an adjustable idler applies the proper tension on chain ht. lharachet this. is halted to the frame in" bolts lids and the other end of shaft dd is sup-- ported in the hearing inside frame on hraclret ill (see d). Secured on shaft between the frame hearing and hraclret ti is the interrupted gear with a position loclring shoe till, the gear til meshing with the teeth of the large interrupted gear secured on main carn shaft The gear has a lace il ia which engages the inciting shoe when the gears and are out of nreslri. 'Ihe gear lid, turning in the direction of the arrow in Fig. it rotates gear tit one revolution which then remains idle while the gear at completes its revolution. Thus, as the cam shai't is rotated,

shaft til will he intermittently rotated through interrupted gears or and lid and the slide moved through the intermediate elements just described. When the slide tilt is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 28 it moves the sheet feed member 6t, and said member moves a sheet along on plate 60 to the right in said figure, the dependent legs 62 engaging against a moistening block it then located below plate til so that sheet and block are moved together until they meet beyond the end of plate til when the sheet will then come to rest upon the foraminous top 53 of the block. The block so moved will, upon such movement, force the block located ahead of it in passage A of channel it one step nearer to the rear of said passage.

Means for holding sheets down on moistening' b-Zocks When a decalcomania sheet is placed upon one of the moistening blocks and the moisture from the absorbent padding in the block reachesthe sheet, the sheet tends to curl or distort upwardly from the face of the block. To prevent this occurring and to hold the sheets Hat on the foraminous top of each block for a certain period of travel of each block (or, in other words, during the time that a block is moving in passage A of channel tilt) a weight ii is placed on top of each of the sheets as soon as each sheet is hroughtto rest by the sheet feed member 63 on top of one of the blocks it. Each Weight, shown in detail in Figs. 22 and 25 to 2'? inclusive, consists of a plate it formed at each of its opposite ends with a downwardly extending guide pin Qt, said pins entering into apertures ti provided in each of the blocks it to thereby properly position the weight with respect to the block on which it is .placed. The under side of the plate as is formed with two rows of five downwardly extending projections die, each of said projections having a serrated face 98 brought into contact with one of the stamps on the sheet. Each oi these serrated surfaces is smaller than one of the decalcornania stamps so that the weight on the upper face of the sheet will not have the effect of forcing gum out from under the stamps. These projections contact with the stamps only and not with any portions of the sheet between the stamps. On each of its longitudinal edges, the plate is pro-- vided with a pair oi ears connected by a bar or rod lull, said here affording a means by which the weights are picked up and carried by the jaws Edi and iiit of a weight-transferring n'lech anism to he described. The top of plate it is formed with spaced recesses Hit into which spring-pressed plugs ltd of the weight-transferring mechanism hit when a weight is engaged and is held by the carrying jaws iiii and l M.

Weight transferring mechanism The mechanism for shifting or carrying the weights ill is employed for the purpose of removing each weight from on top of the sheet on a block when the hloclr reaches a position at the rear end of passage A. in channel and shift ing said weight back to the front end of the passage A to there deposit it on top of the sheet and hlocir. that have just heen brought together at the rear of the feed-plate l'n l the weight-shifting mechanism is shown in the posi tion where it deposits a block: on top of the sheet and block that have conie'together after having left the feed-plate llhe weight-carrying niemher m5 which is secured to shaft has a recess lid extending across the top and downward on each side in which are located the gripping jaws ihl and WE,

the gripping jaw tilt losing loosely mounted on 

